Former Green Bay Packers great Paul Hornung has been first many times in his 77 years on earth. Winner of the 1956 Heisman Trophy, a first-round selection in the 1957 NFL Draft followed by four NFL championships, including the first ever Super Bowl in 1966, highlight the resume of the Louisville, Ky., born Hall of Famer. A win by his colt, Titletown Five, in this year’s Kentucky Derby on May 4 would top all of it.

“That would be the greatest day of my life, if I had the opportunity to walk out in that winner’s circle,” Hornung said Tuesday via teleconference. “Just imagine a hometown boy walking out in that circle.

“Woody Stephens once told me, ‘Paul, winning the Kentucky Derby is the greatest in the history of horse racing for me.’ I think you realize how important it is for your hometown.”

Racing, but especially the Derby, has long been a passion of Hornung’s, who as a kid worked as an usher at Churchill Downs.

“I had such a love for the horses I lied about my age,” he said. “I was 14 and had to be 17, but I was a little big for my age. I made $45 for the day, which was a lot of money.”

The “Golden Boy” has only missed one Derby since, while serving a one-year suspension for betting on NFL games.

“I only missed one Derby in 1963 when Coach Lombardi told me, ‘I do not want you to go to the Derby, I do not want you to go to Gulfstream, don’t go to any racetrack,” Hornung recalled.

“We’ve had some wonderful people win the Derby, Pat Day, Don Brumfield, Hartack, what a great competitor he was, Eddie Arcaro, they were all pals of mine. This game is one of the greatest I’ve been involved with.”

Originally entered to run in Sunday’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby, the 3-year-old son of Tiznow will now point to the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 30 following his 2013 debut, a second-place finish in the $600,000 Gazebo on March 2. According to trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the Louisiana Derby would be better for Titletown Five.

“This gives me an extra week and it gives me a 100-point race,” Lukas said yesterday. “And, it’s a shorter trip, and it gives me another work. Those are all pretty good pluses.”

Titletown Five worked six furlongs in 1:16.20 over a good track yesterday morning at Oaklawn Park under jockey Jon Court, who will remain aboard the colt after Gary Stevens was named to ride Sunday. Stevens is scheduled to ride in Dubai on March 30.

D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time winner of the Derby who currently trains three other Derby hopefuls this year in Oxbow, Will Take Charge and Channel Isle, shares some similarities with the legendary Lombardi in the eyes of Hornung.

“He’s got the same M.O,” Hornung said. “Nobody loves to win more than Wayne does, it’s all he thinks about. We’ve got some trainers today that match up, and when they think of training, they think of Wayne. I’ve known him a long time. I think he’s the greatest trainer of all time.”

As for the chances of seeing his horse make the gate for the Run for the Roses in May, Hornung, like every horse owner, likes his chances, especially if they get to run on that first Saturday.

“I’m not an expert, but when I saw this horse work out at Churchill Downs, when he hits the turn here he would really move it on,’’ he said. “He really loves Churchill Downs. If we get to Churchill, we’re going to have an edge. It’s like playing on your home court in basketball.

“We loved playing in Baltimore when I was with the Packers, we knew we were going to play well. “If he wins, I’ll break Las Vegas. I got down on him at odds of 220-1. I got a charity here with some nuns I’m involved with. It will be the first time nuns will be in the winner’s circle.

“This is a very unusual game. It’s the toughest game in the world.“Win or lose, this has been the greatest year of my life as far as enjoying myself watching the horses.”